Monrovia Municipal Code Ch. 5.32 Buses

For purposes of this chapter, the terms set out in this section shall have the following meanings:

CORPORATION. A corporation, a company, an association and a joint-stock association.

DRIVER. The person operating a motorbus.

MOTORBUS. Every automobile, jitney bus, stage and auto stage, and every other motor-propelled vehicle owned, controlled, operated or managed for public use in the transportation of persons for compensation over a regular and defined route in the city, whether operated wholly or partly within the city, and in which passengers are received and from which passengers are discharged along the route traversed by such vehicle; provided, that so-called taxicabs, so-called sightseeing buses, so-called hotel buses, as customarily operated, and street and inter-urban railroad cars, shall not be deemed included in the term as used in this chapter.

OWNER. Every person or corporation, their lessees, trustees, receivers or trustees appointed by any court whatsoever, owning or controlling any motorbus.

PERSON. An individual, a firm and a copartnership.

PUBLIC STREET. Every public street, avenue, road, boulevard or highway in the city.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.010)

It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation to operate, or cause to be operated, any motorbus for the transportation of persons for compensation over a regular and defined route in the city unless a permit from the Council and a license have first been secured as provided in this chapter. Application for such permit shall be made by such owner to the Council. Such application shall be in writing, verified by the applicant and shall specify the following matters:

(A) The name and address of the applicant and the address of its officers, if any;

(B) The public street or streets over which, and the fixed termini between which the applicant intends to operate;

(C) A brief description of each vehicle which the applicant intends to use, including the seating capacity thereof;

(D) A proposed time schedule;

(E) A schedule of tariff showing the fares proposed to be charged;

(F) Such additional information as the Council may require.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.020)

The Council shall act on such application within 30 days after the same is filed. If the Council shall decide that the public convenience and necessity require the granting of such application, the Council shall issue the permit as prayed for or may issue the same with modifications and upon such terms and conditions as in its judgment the public convenience and necessity may require.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.030)

Each permit issued shall contain the following matters:

(A) The name of the grantee;

(B) The public street or streets over which and the fixed termini between which the grantee is permitted to operate;

(C) A brief description of the motorbus and a statement of the maximum seating capacity thereof which the grantee is permitted to operate;

(D) The term for which the permit is granted, which term shall be for the same period as the term of the license to be procured as provided in § 5.32.050;

(E) Such additional matters as the Council may deem necessary or proper to be inserted in the permit.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.040)

Each permit shall entitle the holder thereof to obtain a license from the City Clerk in accordance with the permit, upon the payment of such license fee therefor as is provided by law. Such license shall be issued to the holder of the permit corresponding in number to the number of the permit, and shall bear such legend and data as the Council by its rules prescribes. Upon the delivery of such license to the holder of the permit, the permit shall be filed with the City Clerk. The term of the license shall be not to exceed a period of one year.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.050)

(A) No permit or license shall be issued to any owner under §§ 5.32.030 through 5.32.080 unless the owner shall first have given and filed with the City Clerk a bond or policy of insurance as provided by law.

(B) Such bond or policy of insurance shall at all times be kept in full force and effect during all of the times any owner shall be entitled under the permit provided for in this chapter to operate a motorbus under the provisions of this chapter.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.060)

No permit or license issued under §§ 5.32.030 through 5.32.080 shall be assignable.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.070)

It shall be unlawful for any owner, who is also the driver of a motorbus, to operate such motorbus without securing the permit and license required by § 5.32.030 through this § 5.32.080 and the driver's permit required by § 5.32.090.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.080)

(A) It shall be unlawful for any driver to operate any motorbus for the transportation of persons for compensation over a regular and defined route in the city unless a permit and license have been secured by the owner of such motorbus as provided in §§ 5.32.030 through 5.32.080, and unless a driver's permit to operate such motorbus has been secured as provided in this section. Before any such driver's permit is granted, the applicant shall file with the Council a verified application in writing, on a form furnished by the Council, giving the name of the owner of the car he or she proposes to drive, a brief description of such car, and such additional information as the Council may require. The Council shall grant a driver's permit to any such applicant who has complied with the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted by the Council, and who has satisfied the Council that he or she is a competent and safe driver of the class and type of motorbus he or she proposes to drive. Every such permit so granted shall be filed with the City Clerk, and upon payment of the sum of $1 to the City Clerk there shall be issued to the holder of the driver's permit a metal badge of such shape and size and bearing such legend as the Council prescribes.

(B) Any driver desiring to discontinue his right to operate a motorbus shall be entitled to a refund of $1 upon surrendering the metal badge issued to him by the City Clerk. Such driver's permit, upon the refund being made, shall be revoked.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.090)

For every permit granted under the provisions of this chapter, there shall be paid to the city, prior to the operation of any motorbus, a license fee of $25 for each motorbus to be operated under the provisions of this chapter.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.100)

In order that adequate transportation facilities may be furnished to the public, each and every motorbus for the operation of which a permit is issued under the provisions of this chapter, shall be so run and operated as to maintain a reasonable time schedule and which time schedule as fixed shall be maintained.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.110)

(A) The City Council shall have the power, under such rules as it may adopt, to suspend or revoke any permit issued under the provisions of this chapter; and in case the term of either the bonds or insurance policies mentioned in § 5.32.060 shall expire or the bonds or insurance policies be canceled at any time during the term for which any such permit shall have been granted, the permit shall, by such expiration or cancellation, be automatically suspended until such bonds or insurance policies are reinstated and are again in full force and effect, or have been replaced by new bonds and policies to the approval of the City Council.

(B) It shall be unlawful for any owner or any driver to operate any motorbus after the revocation or during the period of suspension of the permit issued to the owner of such motorbus under the provisions of this chapter.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.120)

(A) In order to promote public safety and convenience, the Council shall have the power to make rules, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter for the purpose of supervising and regulating persons and corporations engaged in operating motorbuses under the provisions of and for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter.

(B) A copy of every such rule, certified by the City Clerk of the city shall be filed with the City Clerk. It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation to violate any such rule.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.130)

Every officer, agent or employee or any corporation, and every other person who violates or fails to comply with any provision of this chapter or who fails to obey, observe or comply with any order, rule or regulation of the Council referred to in § 5.32.130 is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine or by imprisonment, or by both such fine and imprisonment as provided elsewhere in this code.

(`83 Code, § 5.32.140)